kevin747

It's a very imaginative way for politicians to acquire money for infrastructure.
I follow the world news and I was amazed at the proposal.
I can't imagine the US or Uk coming up with this because the people wouldn't accept it.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

I see Polly had to delete some, no doubt, bitter diatribe about Australia and those of us who live here.

I'm more amazed that you STILL care what happens in Australia.

That's despite, according to you, having a hugely successful time here, then managing to sponge benefits off the system, then run off back to Bonny Scotland where you now earn a squillion times the average wage.... and yet, STILL, you can't just walk away into your Scottish idyl.

Why is that?

jad n rich

A family on 50K does not pay tax, a well known fact, and well published fact. The benefits they are entitled to wipe out the tax.

Tax may appear in the weekly pay packet, but take into account the family tax benefits etc claimed back over the year and they effectively pay no tax.

Well thats what the govt claim but yes they are mental

Siren & Brian

They have said infrastructure.

Jen1977ni

So how would the flood levy work for me? I'm a relief teacher so my wages vary dramatically! I haven't earned a single cent since the start of December for example...

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Simple, you'll get nowt.

Now if you were a bridge, or a stretch of road you might be in with a chance.... but teachers aren't infrastructure.

Jen1977ni

Answer properly! grr lol

bcworld

School holidays???

Jen1977ni

Most teachers are paid over the school holidays actually! One fortnight I could get a decent wage, the next I could only get a few hundred dollars...so, how would it work for someone like me?

iamthecreaturefromuranus

I was. !!

If we are to believe what we are being told then the flood levy is purely for infrastructure rebuilding costs. Are you infrastructure?
People saying to you that you are "as thick as two short planks" doesn't mean you qualify as timber for reconstruction you know.

freebo

The public will pay for the rebuilding anyway, its just a question of this is in the form of a tax, spending cuts or govt borrowing (which is just a debt on the public to be repaid in the future).

I'm particularly against scrapping the NBN as although these big govt projects inevitably turn into giant disasters, cost double their original budget or more and eventually fail, at least they keep heaps of IT guys out of the job market and push up wages in general.

I'm talking from some experience here, I worked on the NpfIT (or unfit as we called it), the huge white elephant of computerising the NHS, for about 3 weeks until I quit in disgust. I was on a decently paid contract but moved on because the suppliers management attitude was "do things as slowly as possible, we're on the clock", many years later its something like £10 Billion over budget and still delivered very little of use, this was obvious very early on.

Deancm_MKII

I wasn't in Brisbane in 1974 so I don't know. What about the rural areas that got flooded in 1974?

fish.01

The same as the rest of your tax. Most payroll depts charge you tax as if you are earning the same amount all year. If you don't earn that amount every month then you can claim back the extra tax money paid at the end of the year. Some payroll depts will let you reduce the amount of tax withheld to the correct amount of your annual salary if you ask.

fish.01

fish.01

It is because of what has happened since rather than then. Which rural areas?...I think it would depend which area.